Pipeline Porter - Kona Brewing Co.

mustang70

Tennessee

5/5  rDev +30.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

poured into a pint glass.

A. pours a thick black you can't see through. has a creamy 2 finger tan head that stays for a good while.

S. I am smelling some coffee, dark chocolate, roasted malts. maybe even some sweet malts in there.

T. wow this beer is good. I am getting coffee right from get go. the coffee isn't too strong either. I can still taste dark chocolate, toasted bread, roasted malts and some sweet malts.

M. this beer felt good on the palate. I love porters and this one is worth multiple buys. I am a big coffee drinker and the fact that I could taste the coffee, but I could also taste the other ingredients. some of the other coffee porters/stouts I have tried it was like drinking straight coffee. I very much enjoyed this one.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2012 02:34:55 | More by mustang70

Lupe

New York

4.95/5  rDev +29.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Big thanks to tayner for sending this my way in Beer Powerball

Pours jet black with some traces of brown around the edges. No head or lacing. The appearance is what held this beer from getting a perfect score from me.

Wonderful coffee laced aroma that is sweet and seductive. Lots of chocolate maltiness with a hint of hazelnut.

Awesome dark malt flavors - chocolate, light roast, and strong (yet smooth) coffee. Flavor is not too heavy and amazing creaminess that is present in the flavor and mouthfeel. Nice balance between the sweetness, coffee, and roastiness. Absolutely delicious.

Medium-full in body, silky smooth, creamy, but not too big or cloying. So easy to drink, and enough to keep you interested an coming back for more. I could drink this everyday (mmm....breakfast beer).

Just about a perfect porter.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2008 19:29:07 | More by Lupe

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.85/5  rDev +27%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Acquired via trade from IntriqKen, so a big “Thank you” goes out to him.
Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep brown color, with a thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: Very intense smell of coffee is the only thing I got out this one. I couldn’t pick up anything else but it was very nice.

T: Just like with the smell, a heavy flavor of coffee dominates the taste. There’s background of roasted malt and a pretty decent hops presence as well. After-taste is very sweet and leaves the feeling that you just had a shot of coffee syrup.

M: Very smooth, medium body, light-to-medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Very tasty, goes down quite easily, not very filling, this is a beer that I could just keep on drinking and drinking. The best comparison I can make is to Berkshire Coffeehouse Porter, which I love. This beer is VERY close to it. IntriqKen is the man for throwing this one into the trade. Thanks again, Ken!

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2006 03:06:38 | More by TheManiacalOne

mbenthall

South Carolina

4.83/5  rDev +26.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: small tan head pours dark brown to black

Smell: Sweet with hints of coffee and caramel.

Taste: Woderfully malty with undertones of rich coffee and roasted malts slight notes of choclate too.

Mouthfeel: rich and creamy with a medium body. smooth finish.

Drinkability: Ahh one of my favorite beers. It is the perfect marriage of coffee and porter. Love this with a beef dinner or just sipping after.

Serving type: on-tap

10-28-2008 16:23:35 | More by mbenthall

jetfansam

New York

4.78/5  rDev +25.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I normally don't like heavy beers, especially porters but this beer is exceptionally good. If you don't pour it out of the bottle you honestly would never know how dark and heavy it is. It has a great coffee taste without losing any of its beer integrity. I higly recommend this beer to anyone that is looking to try something new and a bit different.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2011 17:02:44 | More by jetfansam

calcio360jrd

Florida

4.78/5  rDev +25.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This year batch, bottle poured into my DFH snifter.

I remember last year, seeing this bottle at the supermarket, and remembering how boring the other kona brewing beers were.

Saw that this one actually was brewed with kona coffee, decided to give it a try, and proceeded to by 6 pack upon 6 pack last year of pipeline. Glad to see it back again this year, and its arguably better. Wonderful roast coffee smells, but not burned coffee like a lot of lesser porters and stouts tend to have. Easy drinking, very smooth, a little thin i guess. After first smell, its hard not to think and rate this like a big 10% stout, it is only a 5.40% porter after all.

Now if kona can just improve on their regular lineup of other beers...

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 04:01:30 | More by calcio360jrd

JesseBlanco

4.78/5  rDev +25.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Whenever I travel to Hawaii, I usually have one of these with breakfast instead of coffee. The caffeine level in it is enough to give you a nice boost and still have a cool drink. Lately, in Los Angeles; you can buy 6 packs at a cheaper price than you can get it for in Hawaii.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 05:37:11 | More by JesseBlanco

drseamus

New York

4.75/5  rDev +24.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had this beer on tap at the brewery while I was on vacation there. This has a dark ruby color which is very similar to the Black Sand Porter that Kona makes as well. Very little sunlight is able to penetrate the glass. The aroma from the pint glass is extremely powerful. As my nose approached the glass, I was got strong dark roast coffee aromas; almost like an espresso. The espresso flavor was present as well. This beer had a very heavy coffee flavor with a hint of chocolate on the back end. I love how this medium to heavy bodied beer tastes on my tongue. This is one of my favorite Kona brews. Although the bottled beer is not made at the same brewery as the kegged beer, I would highly recommend this beer to anyone that likes robust porters.

Serving type: on-tap

01-21-2007 03:50:14 | More by drseamus

Phatz

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +24.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Adam Korsak. BA akorsak. YOU DA MAN!!! This is the BOMB yo!! Holy shiznat. I was not expecting all that. I was just checking off Hawaii with a beer you gave me and... I didn't know what to expect. I'd give you my first born son for this beer (but as two days ago you have two sons so ... you don't need him;-) just kidding anyway back off my kid. LOL. Seriously this was so much better than expected. Thanks for hookin me up.

I was very pleased to have gotten a chance to share this with my good friend weeare138 who was surprisingly pleased as well.

I am of coarse biased by coffee beers. I do consume a ridiculous amount of coffee on a daily basis and so I have made it a quest to seek good coffee. This beer Is good coffee. I mean beer. Or rather coffee beer. cofbeer.

Appearance: My pour may have been too gentle because the head was initially small but some swirling revitalized the head. The light brown frothy head leaves little, still noteworthy, lacing.

Smell: Bold sweet Kona coffee aroma powers through the nasal cavity. The sweet sugars and the coffee remind me of that Pepsi Drink PepsiKona (with a splash of Kahlua) if anyone remembers that. mmm. Malty, creamy, sweet cocoa, dark malt, but more than dominantly coffee coffee coffee in the nose.

Taste: The same glorious flavors in the taste as was in the aroma. Dark toasted malts, Kaluah, creamy milky chocolate and coffee coffee coffee. A roasty espresso bitterness lingeres in the aftertaste. Overall: this is a coffee mans dream. It got me in the mood for a Péché Mortel!

Mouthfeel: Medium body light weight but exceptionally smooth across the palate. All though creamy coffee flavors sent me into state of awe while the light dryness of the roasted coffee tickled the throat. very nice.

Drinkability: I want cases of this stuff. Damn. Why Hawaii. I can't even drive out there. Well, if you can get your hands on this beer, and if you like coffee as I do, don't waste time with one get a bundle it's a drinkable beer. I certainly wanted more.

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2007 08:19:36 | More by Phatz

vpipkt

Virginia

4.68/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Overall I am very impressed with this porter. Very unique, but really gets elements of the style right on. The packaging is nice, except for the 'limited release' label (rather a permanent offering). The pour is pretty nice with a thick head falling tto a constant ring of dusty tan atop the dark liquid. The beer has a deep ruby hue against the light.

The smell is great; roasty with coffee notes. The taste is similar, but with more complexity, a bit more sweetness, and a stronger coffee flavor throughout. It is also distinctively a porter to my taste, but also you could pick it out of a lineup of porters! Very unique.

Mouthfeel is good - what you want in this style of beer. The drinkability is rated pretty high here just due to the great taste. I think this is a winner even among people who aren't 'beer geeks'. It is a lot of flavor and a big beer, but I think it has a lot to keep you coming back!!

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2009 02:33:50 | More by vpipkt

BudweiserFan

4.68/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.
Date on bottle: 8-25-12

Appearance: Dark amber brown. Can't see my finger through glass.
Smell: A sweet coffee caramel with some bitterness.
Taste: Sweet. Hard to describe exactly but pleasant.
Mouthfeel: Good rich mouthfeel.
Overall this is a solid beer and I would recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 06:59:04 | More by BudweiserFan

lflesh

California

4.65/5  rDev +21.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

wow, this $hit kicks a$$. pours black and beautiful. tan head fades away. coffee in your face! ive always wanted to try their imperial stout; this may be as close as it get ( i missed last time i was in hawaii). pour this in the right glass and it is heaven. it is my new night cap.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2006 05:46:12 | More by lflesh

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.58/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This one pours a rich, chocolaty, opaque brown with a thick and fine-bubbled tan head. Aroma is strong and mainly of coffee with hints of unsweetened chocolate. Roast, smoky coffee taste dominates the flavor, which has a subtle undertone of chocolate. Texture is smooth, and finish leaves a flavor of mocha.

Serving type: on-tap

11-02-2008 04:07:15 | More by Cyberkedi

derekge

California

4.58/5  rDev +19.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

One of my favorites for the coffee taste. The texture of the beer could be thicker and it does feel too carbonated but this is my favorite beer of 2008!

This is only available at Los Angeles Bevmo's between winter and spring. I usually buy at least two sixers when I find it. I'm still undecided if this is a session beer or not.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2009 06:20:48 | More by derekge

bgraney

California

4.55/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Pitch black, darker than expected. Half finger cocoa head.
Sweet aroma, caramel is dominant. Expecting to pick up more coffee.
Delcious, fantastic flavor. Coffee is there, malts are robust, some chocolate hints and even some noticeable hop flavor. All very well balanced.
Leaves behind a great after taste of roasted coffee and caramel maltiness. The flavors linger for a long, long time.
It may be a bit overwelming for a few glasses but I thoroughly enjoyed two in a sitting.
I like coffee/chocolate porters/stouts a lot and I think this is one of the best.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2007 02:56:56 | More by bgraney

RobH

Maryland

4.55/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This is a very respectable porter. The genuine Kona coffee is what makes it for me with this one.

I'm not a coffer drinker, but I like coffee ice cream and this Pipeline porter. Some folks who drink coffee say they can't detect the coffe flavor in this beer. I can definitely smell and taste it. This isn't cream and sugar coffee, this is black coffee.

Medium bodied and highly drinkable, I recommend that this beer be tried.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2008 23:47:32 | More by RobH

zdk9

Texas

4.55/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A- Pours out the color black with dark dark ruby highlights. A beautiful finger of cocoa cream covers the beer and leaves a touch of lacing.

S- Whole coffee beans are enveloped by a touch of milk chocolate. While the aroma is delicious, it's rather weak.

T- A delicious taste. The perfect amount of coffee flavor adds just enough, slightly above subtle, to bring it's party to the mouth without even getting close to dominating. There are hints of sweet Dutch cocoa, and milk, blending together into a milk chocolate. Roasted malts form the backbone. With some intense slurping I can detect some rum raisin type flavors, touches of alcohol and rich dark fruit.

M- Not light, and not supercreamy. There's enough heft to make you stop and appreciate the beer without weighing it down. The perfect mouthfeel for a porter in my opinion.

O- A truly great beer, held back only slightly by the weakness of the nose, but the taste is incredible, with the coffee incorporated so well. I need to get some more of this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2009 23:28:32 | More by zdk9

Zorro

California

4.53/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This is a very dark brown colored beer with a light brown head.

This smells strongly of Hawaiian coffee. This is sweet and very strongly smelling of a medium grind cup of coffee without any associated chocolate scents. Fairly spicy this has a little cinnamon kick to it.

The taste begins sweet and bitter like coffee and not hops. Quite a nice coffee flavor in this beer is very much the beer version of Kahlua liqueur. Lots of roasted coffee taste along with a tart wine like aftertaste this captures the taste of coffee extremely well.

Mouthfeel is good.

Extremely drinkable and a natural extension of the coffee stout concept to the porter. I have not been very impressed by the beers of Kona brewing until I tried this beer. About as perfect as a low alcohol coffee based beer can be.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2007 04:22:17 | More by Zorro

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.47/5  rDev +17%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I figured this beer would be pretty good from reading much about it in the past year or so. Turns out to be a very flavorful Porter without going extreme on the gravities. The beer begins convincing enough with a brown appearance and moderate head formation / retention-- light on the lacing. Firm aromas of chocolate malts and nutty coffee dominate the beer, with only a light detection of piney hops hiding closely behind. Flavors prefer the cocoa and coffee as well, giving the beer a rich maltiness, medium nuttiness with vanilla and toasty notes throughout. The hops balance well but don't interfere much with the delicate Porter / Brown Ale balance. The beer is silky smooth to the palate in a similar manner as an Oatmeal Stout. There are no problems with this beer at all-- likely the best of the Kona crop.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2008 17:10:07 | More by BEERchitect

GregSVT

Texas

4.47/5  rDev +17%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass

A: Pours a dark dark brown with a small tan head that fades to a ring and leaves no real lacing.

S: The nose is fantastic and full of vanilla, sweet cocoa and coffee with some malt in the background.

T: Taste is chocolate malts, coffee, milk chocolate, and vanilla. Slightly bitter finish due to the coffee but it balances the sweetness. A bit muted compared to the nose but still excellent.

M: A bit light but not too bad. The carbonation makes it creamy and builds the body from light to medium.

D: I pick this up when it's released every year and could and have drank it all night. Great session Porter and one of my all time favs.

Highly recommended if you can get it.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2009 21:21:47 | More by GregSVT

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.45/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12oz bottles bought in Honolulu at $2 each. The label states "Porter made with 100% Hawaiian Kona Coffee". Since they don't bottle their Da Grind Coffee Stout (I had it on tap last night), this bottle is the easiest way to get a similar flavor (but not as sweet, rich, and thick).

The beer is dark brown to black with a head that sinks quickly. The aroma is really nice, mostly coffee and roasted malts but some chocolate also. The flavor is awesome, one of the best porters I've ever had. It's really rich with malt and (of course) coffee.

Get it if you see it.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2006 20:02:19 | More by TurdFurgison

aknight

California

4.45/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours dark, a solid dark, not too menacing. Smells of some sweetness and coffee but not overpowering. Tastes of coffee and malt. The coffee has a syrupy taste to it that coats the tongue and is quite pleasing. A very drinkable and enjoyable beer. A solid representation of its style. A beer I continue to look forward to every year.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2010 23:06:57 | More by aknight

FoamyMustache

Rhode Island

4.45/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured a dark molasses brown with a light brown head...little retention or lacing.

S - Rich coffee notes, chocolate, smooth. Awesome! I want to drink now.

T - Definitely get the coffee beans this beer is built around with a perfect balance of chocolate and a lot of roasted malt. Bit of a coffee bitterness at the end that lingers in the mouth...not a bad thing.

M - Medium-bodied, not as heavy as its appearance may lead. Not overly carbonated, but if i had to critique one aspect of the beer I would like to see it a little creamier.

D - Awesome...could easily put down a 6er.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2011 02:06:18 | More by FoamyMustache

loving44

California

4.43/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours nice and black with deep ruby highlights. creamy mocha colored head foams up quickly and slowly fades to a smooth film.

Smell: amazing, rich deep coffee as if I was smelling the beans themselves, chocolate, caramel, toffee, slight hop bite, earthy.

taste: Smooth over the palate, black coffee, dark chocolate, toffee, roasty, some smoke. This is an incredibly flavorful porter.

Mouthfeel is creamy and thick, prickly carbonation glides over your tongue as you drink it.

This is very drinkable, yet with the complex flavors one could finish up after just one. It's very east to slowly savor every sip.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2006 05:54:54 | More by loving44

Sephiroth

Indiana

4.43/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to flexabull for my birthday present. Bottled on 2/16/07. Pours dark brown, nothing special to look at. But man, that smell... it isn't the usual roasted, bitter coffee aroma. This beer smells just like a cup of joe. A very rich cup of joe.

This beer has huge coffee flavor without the bitter acidity that usually accompanies coffee beers. I wish I had some Kona coffee to drink next to this. The porter flavors are woven seemlessly into the dominating coffee flavors. The mouthfeel is well carbonated, and a bit thin. I want another one, I would trade for this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2007 22:56:21 | More by Sephiroth